Good Little Girls and Bad Little Boys
by C.J. Nanashi
Summary: Marshall Lee, the undisputed King of the Night, has always had his life in the direction of his choosing. However, when a mere mortal girl interrupts his life, he realizes just how blind he had been living in the shadows, and how he may have to fight for what he desires.
1. Once Upon a Vampire King

Royalty. That is what it always played down to; royalty. If one was not royal, then they did not matter. Now, about fifty percent of the population was indeed royal. However, that did not help to even out the scores. At the top of the royal food chain, there was the Prince of the Candy Kingdom, Gumball, the absolute ruler of Aaa, and a personal plaything of mine. Second were the Crowns of Power, rulers like Ice Queen, Flame Queen, Ghost Prince, whoever actually had control over the rebellious Cloud Kingdom, and the nightly realm that I myself held dominion over. Not to be confused with my lazy ass mother, who stayed down in the Nightosphere constantly, allowing me utter control over whatever may go bump in the night.

However, the remainder of the population was common when compared to the royals. Those living in every kingdom and the grasslands; those who had no power but those of their own lives. It is among these people that a few of my friends stick out. Or, one, I should say.

The golden haired, blue-eyed girl, the last remnant of an entire species, Fionna the Human. Despite a rather fragile appearance—to me, at least—I rather fancied her. She was tough, a bit rowdy, even, but someone I did not completely despise being around. Her cat—oh no, _sister_—was of much lesser company than the human, but since they were a package deal, one simply had to cope. On a good day, Prince Gumball would bring by his own pet, a downright awesome animal by the name of Lord Monichromicorn, and the two pets would go off and frolic in flowers, or do, I do not know, animal stuff.

As I sat on the top of a large house, the rain pelting down, I reconsidered my presence there. Cake had seemed pretty odd upon coming home, and maybe Fionna would not be up for a visit… I did not get to contemplate much farther as I saw a figure burst out of the house, apparently angry, and nearly steaming. Or… actually steaming…?

"Oh whoa, a Fire elemental," I chuckled to myself. Must suck for him; the rain was awful that night. Nevertheless, I hopped off of the tree fort's roof and made my way down to the door. It was left open. I snuck in, closing the hinges, and turned around to see a disgruntled Cake and a shocked Fionna. She sat on the floor, her legs curled under her, her small hand caressing a burn on her cheek. It took another moment to notice it was in the shape of a large hand. A hissed escaped from under my breath as the girls finally realized I was standing there.

"Marshall Lee," Fionna said, trying to sound surprised, or maybe she actually felt that lousy. I helped her up and sat her down on her sofa. She kept her hand on her cheek.

"What the hell happened?" I asked. She met my gaze, and I saw them. The silvery tears I knew would come the second I had seen her on the floor, shocked beyond belief at what had just happened. She huffed in, attempting to keep herself together, but as I sat beside her and wrapped an arm around my friend, she broke apart, clutching at her sides as if attempting to keep herself whole. "Fionna, calm down."

"I… didn't… even… _know him_…" she wept severely. I did not dare be stupid enough to ask who she was alluding to, even though I already knew. The fire boy who had left in apparent rage, angry enough to leave in the rain; it would be like me becoming so incredibly furious that I would leave in the broad of day without even a shirt on.

"Fionna, it's okay. Do you want to tell me what happened?"

"He… he came here… he tried to burn it down…" I knew she was speaking of the house as she hastily checked it for its assurance, "and, he was so angry… said I insulted him… then he left… I said I liked him… oh, what a _stupid_ thing to say…" she groaned and shook her head. Cake peered around the corner then, holding up something that looked like a towel. I registered what she was meaning, and held Fionna at arms length, forcing her to look at me.

"You go with Cake, now," I said slowly. It seemed to take her a while to process the very air before her. "And then, after you calm down, we'll talk about it some more, okay?" She nodded and stood, slowly making her way to the stairs where cake stretched an arm around her waist and pulled her up the ladder.

I will not lie when I say I am not proud of my actions following this. Upon seeing Fionna, probably my closest friend, hurt to the point of a burn and bitter tears, I either panicked, became enraged, or a bit of both. I stormed out of the house, not caring about the pounding rain, and looked around. There was a trail of grass that seemed like it had tried to burn, but quickly extinguished. I smirked; the fire people were so inconvenient to themselves. I sped along this track, assuring that I kept to, and soon found myself in a dark, stagnant area of the forest so incredibly hot and humid it was hard to believe that it was so cold elsewhere. The canopy of trees nearly blocked all of the rain, and so, the ground was nearly springy due to the moisture in the air, leaving everything muggy and sticky.

Upon venturing further in, I felt myself calm, and I stopped. What was I expecting to do if I actually caught up to the boy? Would I fight him? Let him go? I groaned and punched a tree; a distinct whimper came out from behind it. It took me off guard, and as I looked closer, I shuddered.

The body was gray and muddy looking, like a bold painting that had been left in the water. The clothes, and later the musculature, assured me that the gender was male, and of high social standing. He had boots, pants, and a sleeveless blazer, all in in the same, poor condition as his skin. His hair was slicked back; sopping wet, and looked dull and pathetic. I soon realized a distinct accessory that made me gasp aloud, as I stared at a bright ruby, muddled with gray and brown. It all clicked, and I suddenly envision the figure burning bright red, yellow and orange, the hair alive in a fiery Mohawk, the ruby gleaming bright and boastful.

As I stared down at the Flame Prince, I felt my stomach plummet, leaving me there, standing above the nearly dead prince.


	2. Enter the Prince of Flames

As his breathing regained its normal meter, I contemplated my options. Fireproof as I was, I knew better than to anger an uncontrollable Fire elemental; even my blood could boil. So, I waited for him to awaken. He looked utterly pathetic, and I laughed at his state. He seemed to bee regaining consciousness very slowly, and as the minutes ticked by, the rain appeased. It lightened up, leaving the newly formed night below. The wind, however, still blew cold, and the prince was extremely burdened by the frigid gale. Nevertheless, as what I assumed to be an hour ticked by, his colors began to reignite themselves, his hair became weak flame dancing on his head, and his eyes, which I assumed to be a bold red, soon opened. I was wrong; they were a burnt sienna with specks of black all throughout the irises.

"What…" he grumbled. I snickered and allowed my hand to firmly assault his face. He sat, in utter shock, undoubtedly angry at my ability to touch his now smoldering skin. I showed him hand and its burn-free surface, and he bit back a curse.

"You," I said plainly. "What happened between you and Fionna?"

"Fionna…?" he mumbled, still taken aback by my slap. "Oh, you must mean that damned girl…"

"What happened?" I repeated, impatiently tapping my foot.

"It is none of _your_ business," he spat harshly. He finally seemed healthy again, as his body burned brighter, leaving my ghostly white skin even paler in comparison. He seemed to note this, and gloatingly smirked. "Go back to that little hovel, why don't you?" he turned and headed onward in the direction he was heading; to the border of the Grasslands and the Fire Kingdom. I kicked my feet up, hovering after him, deciding not to let him off so easily.

"See now," I said, appearing before him, causing the adolescent to stop. "Fionna happens to be a close personal friend of mine, while you," I spared one tragic look away from his eyes to completely observe him, "are not in the least bit important to either me or her. So," I barred my teeth, and he flinched away from the sight, "I suggest Flame Boy plays nicely, or else that Red might just disappear…" I narrowed my eyes and smirked. The prince flinched again, and groaned. I stumbled against a wet tree stump—which hissed in pathetic protest—and slid down to the dirt ground. I kicked my feet up and reclined in midair, not allowing the stupid kid to forget exactly who I was.

"She… she came to our court. Or, well, her Baroness did. She completely messed everything up, and my mother—Flame Queen—ordered her to leave. Then…" he tried to explain to me how "Fionna" had murdered Cake, when I know for a fact that it was false, seeing Cake at the tree house, and knowing Fionna on any personal level.

"Well, lemme tell you know," I said. "Fionna, is not a princess, nor a queen, or a duchess, or any other form of royalty. Fionna is Fionna. Now, seeing as you acted extremely rude, _and_ you hit her—you better be glad I like her, or else I would have killed you already—I do believe that she deserves an apology from you. _Now._"

"How would you plan to force a Fire elemental to do _anything_?"

"Apologize. Now." I smirked. Flame Prince grimaced at the view of Fionna in her pajamas, who sat on the sofa in her living room, Cake angry beside her, and a flustered BMO, whose face was stuck on pause. While my shirt had singed itself into nonexistence, my skin remained cool; that seemed to anger the prince the most.

"I'm sorry." He spat. He attempted to stand from the chair I had forced him into, until my hand rested upon his shoulder, and a low hiss emitted from my mouth. He squirmed; I wanted to laugh so badly.

"Do it better," I warned. He swallowed hard, and locked eyes with the girl.

I saw it then. The shine in his eyes when he finally looked at her. It was the same look I imagined I had had on my face when I met Fionna, and undoubtedly, when Gumball met her as well. His mouth hung open a bit, as his face, an already bright orange, glowed a more vivid red. Cake saw it too, and stifled a laugh into her paw. I shot her a look of upmost disgust, and tightened my grip on his shoulder.

"I'm so sorry, Fionna," Flame Prince finally stuttered. Fionna herself seemed nonplussed by the looks Flame Prince had upon his face. She nodded and accepted his apology, and offered a chance to start over. He muttered something about that being a splendid idea, and allowed himself to be hoisted away by me, who, to my dismay, felt the awful feeling in my stomach.

As I flew Flame Prince as fast as I could over the Fire Kingdom, slinging him harshly at the castle doors and speeding off towards my own cavernous home, I felt it. The utterly horrible feeling I had assured myself that I would never feel. The feeling I had, unfortunately, failed in never feeling, as Gumball had assured of that. As I slammed my door shut behind me, not caring for the broken picture frame on the floor, or that I had stomped in without the faintest clue as to what to do next, that I resolved into my couch, feeling that gut-wrenching feeling I hated so much.

That I loved Fionna was not a question, but a certainty; I only doubted my ability to be unique in this feeling.


	3. The Contemplation

It was indeed hard for me to come out of my house after my realization. Not that loving Fionna was new to me; I had always been fond of her, and said fondness had grown since I had met her as a bright a cheery thirteen year old, some three or four years prior. Not that I ever intended to do anything about it. She was a hyper, rambunctious thing, and I thought it better to await her calmer adult years to seek a deeper level of relationship beyond "bro".

However, I know saw the flaw in my ways. How could I have been so blind? To just nimbly sneak throughout her life, evade her grasp, and be as arrogant as I had been for a millennium, and still expect her not to feel the same way for me? I punched many a piece of furniture in my house until I realized my flat was beginning to resemble the Rough House before daring to venture out. It was twilight, and thus, I kept my hood up and sleeves down as I emerged from my cave, flying against the sun towards the Grasslands.

Why I left that particular day, I still am not aware of. Perhaps my subconscious knew it would be a crucial day to be there. Had I truly forgotten Fionna's birthday party, which was to be the following day, the large party Prince Gumball always threw her, or how I seemed to syphon the crimson dies out of both her cake icing and Gumball's clothing? I whacked my forehead in grief and threw my hoodie into a barrel by the tree house's entrance, grateful for the newly born night. I nearly knocked—something I had never done in my life, except to scare Cake—and instead floated out through an open window that I assumed lead to a corridor somewhere within.

I was incorrect; it was the girl's bedroom. Nothing out of place, and nothing I hadn't seen before, I sauntered out, barely taking in account of the cat which lay dead asleep in her drawer-bed. I made my way down through the intricate house I was too fond of, and eventually came to a den. Inside the warm, fire lit room was indeed the very human I sought, and thankfully, not a single trace of living flame was evident anywhere.

"Marshall Lee, I haven't seen you in a while," she said without turning to face me. She was bent over a sword, crimson in color and long in length, caressing it with a cloth.

"Yeah, you know," I sighed. "Vampire junk."

"Mm…" On any ordinary day, I would have pointed this out as Fionna acting weird. Instead, I decided to take a stranger's approach, and appeared before her. Thankfully, this surprised a smile onto her face, which looked aged beyond what would have been an almost seventeen-year-old's, but this had to be wither because of her birthday, or a recent adventure. It turned out to be the latter.

"Sorry, I'm just really tired," she groaned, throwing the cloth, which I then spotted to be covered in grime and mud, over towards a trash can. "Cake and I were out at the seacoast for _days_," she shuddered. I openly laughed; a secret fear of Fionna's was the vast ocean, and whatever lurked inside. In an attempt to rid her of that liability, Cake and I had once dropped her into a bay without a buoy; the result had not been successful.

"Ah, why don't you just go to bed like Cake?" I asked. She reclined against her hands, sitting cross-legged on the floor, and tugged off her hat. Her hair, thick, voluptuous and blond in nature, billowed against her, incredibly long after years of going without a haircut. She shook the locks out of her eyes and smirked her familiar smirk. I swallowed.

"I had a feeling you'd come around tonight."

"Oh?" I stuttered. I cursed inwardly; I had _never_ allowed my cool to be compromised in front of anyone, and _especially_ not this human girl. That was simply not an option. I swallowed again, hoping to wash all childish anxiety away, and raised an eyebrow coyly. "Why is that?"

"You always come by the night before my birthday, Marshall. Since anybody normal is always asleep," she laughed, "you're always the first to wish me a 'happy birthday.'"

"Ah, that's right," I said. I should have assumed this, and hated myself for not. What had changed in the last four or five days of solitude? Had I suddenly lost every ounce of knowledge, collection, and wit obsessing over the blonde and the fiery boy whom I wished to eradicate? Had my life changed so drastically that I barely remembered a four years standing tradition, and why I did it? That I could forget something as _brutally simple_ as which window led to the upstairs corridor?

It was a short moment between Fionna's statement and me response, but to me, it felt like an eternity. An to a creature who can surpass years and brush it off as mere days, that is a truly scary thought. Scary, even to me. I spiraled out of control in a short moment, like falling down a smooth stone cavern, too slick to grab leverage, too moist to stick to, and too deep to see the bottom as you fall. I wonder if Fionna even noticed this awkward moment, but I know for a fact that I did, and that I willed more than anything for it to be over. However, when I realized that this moment was nothing more than my own doing, I forced words out of my throat, and to this day, I marvel at how I was able to play off my moment of insecurity.

"I suppose that I ought to stick around then, seeing as it's only about eight o'clock." I said coolly. She giggled and nodded, pointing to a blanket far away on the shelf by the fireplace. I recognized it immediately recognized it as one she had taken with her from my house upon her becoming bedridden there two years prior; she had been stuck in my house, encompassed by rain, with a serious fever and head cold. Cake, stuck herself at Lord Monochromicorn's abode, was unable to assist, although I needed no help. Feeble as I was at caring for a living soul, I found it easy once she could manage to talk without her headache banging against her skull.

"Over there… I don't want to go up to bed." She gestured towards the fireplace. I felt my heart leap—do not judge me, I do have a heart, it just doesn't beat—and did as she ordered. Upon retrieving the blanket and situating myself by the hearth, she crawled over, huddled under the blanket, and reclined against me, shutting her eyes and quickly drifting asleep. I could feel her warm breath on my skin as she slept, and I felt a pang of victorious joy.

That beautiful little girl, innocently exposed to every danger but the weather, at that moment, laid against my body which was held close to the glistening fire. I assume that my body temperature—a cool 70°—felt rather comfortable against the smoldering fire. I was glad the curtains in this room were drawn; there was no fear of falling asleep, exposed, and waking up a pile of seared ash. Or worse, not waking up.

However, I did not want to sleep. Somewhere, deep in my mind, I knew something was wrong. Was it how Fionna had willingly put herself so close to a creature who could not only hurt her, but end her, whether or not it was her friend? Or was it that somewhere, deep down, I knew this to be a lie.

I woke up to a light poke in the cheek. I opened my eyes, thankful that it took many days of sleep to get a crick, and looked at the source of my annoyance. The little Fionna, who was herself rubbing her eyes, yawned and attempted to stand up. She fell over. I caught her with an overdramatic show, to which she flushed, and inwardly gloated; I'd gotten my game back. I plopped her back down, glad that the fire had died in the four hours between sleep and wake.

"Say it…" she mumbled, "so… we can go back to bed…" I laughed and ruffled her hair. She peeked up at me from under her bangs, resembling the child Fionna I had known years before, making a face like she had just done something worth punishment.

"Happy Birthday, Fionna," I said, drawing out each word. Now, she was happy with me, I must assume, because as she scooted closer, no doubt wanting to go back to sleep, she allowed her soft, pink lips to touch my cold cheek before collapsing under the weight of her hair onto my chest.

The following morning as a blur. Cake scolded me for sneaking in at night, to which I hissed, and she cowered away. Gumball arrived at around even o'clock—to early for my taste—announcing that the party, as always, would be semi-formal, open invite, and at eight o'clock that evening. That last detail had only come into affect in the last three years, as sundown in that particular season; a nice and early spring, was between seven and eight o'clock.

Fionna kindly dismissed me as she wanted to do some "girl stuff" before her party, which I knew perfectly well to be slaying a dragon, helping some goblins, or maybe feeding a duck. Which ever she came across first. I decided to bug Gumball until that evening, and perhaps…

No. I swore I would not confide in His Royal Highness. Though he had once been my friend, and I was glad that this was now true again, I did not find myself ready to tell him how I felt. Especially since, only a while before, it was a well known and tragic fact that Fionna liked Gumball, whom everyone knew to be so incredibly airheaded that he could never notice.

The pink Candy Castle was as pink as ever. It stood, pink and all, at the back of the Candy Kingdom, most likely the most splendid kingdom in Aaa. Its citizens, all adorable and delicious, seemed to have grown fonder of me since the past, and now greeted me as I floated in. Inside the castle I immediately spotted Lumpy Space Prince, someone who could easily be considered Gumball's fool, if Cinnamon Bun hadn't filled that spot.

"Yo, Bubba," I smirked as I floated overhead the pink prince's pompadour. His clothes, just as pink, were work clothes, which he was undoubtedly wearing as both a fashion statement and a necessity for producing a decent ball. He laughed airily and snagged my shirt, surprising me, and yanking me down to my feet. "Not cool."

"Oh, Marshall," he shook his head tragically, and then flashed a toothy grin. "Gotta troll harder."

I looked around at the main hall. It was done up a bit different this year, which was good. Gumball broke habits hard, and to see him so hard at work at changing the norm was a pleasant sight. The candy people were busy at work hauling decorations, tables, and furniture every which way, and clearing out the guest rooms, which was the mark of a real Candy Party; it became a slumber party once the food and presents were tapped.

"You, uh, need any help?" I asked. Gumball looked at me incredulously, and cocked his head.

"Would you really help? Or, would you play some prank that makes us all have to work thrice as hard just to make it in time for Fionna, like last year?" he asked. I stifled a laugh as we reminisced over last year's little "fiasco".

"Of course, I'm bored. Give me something to focus on," I suggested. He seemed delighted at this thought, and rummaged through his apron pocket. He pulled out a folded piece of paper—big shock, it was tinted pink—and unfolded it, skimming over. H then handed it to me.

"Here," he said, ensuring I take the list. "Go and double check this list, and see if I've either forgotten someone, or added someone that… well, shouldn't be here. Then take it to Peppermint Maid so she may alert the guests." He explained. I got a vision of Peppermint Maid bursting through walls and floors of royals everywhere as she handed out invitations, which Gumball always seemed to deem a last minute detail.

I accepted this task and floated upwards, snagging a pencil from the prince's apron as I went. The list was pretty standard in number, with about three hundred guests. Most of which were Candy people and some other citizens of the Grasslands. At the bottom, however, started a new list of royals. All was standard; Lumpy Space Prince, Ghost Prince, Raggedy Prince—I crossed out Hotdog Prince—Wild Berry Prince, Doctor Prince, whom, as he assured to make everyone know, was not an actual prince, but rather a clever MD. I chuckled when I saw _Vampire King_ taken down, and below that, Gumball had even put himself. I reached the bottom of the paper, where I saw, to my chagrin, written in ink rather than pencil, was the name I hadn't thought of since my nice evening with Fionna.

_Flame Prince, Ares._


	4. The Fiery Prince and the Vampire King

***NOTE* Thanks for all of the views and reviews! Hoping Chapter 5 will be a BIG one, so please be gentle and wait for me! School, work, and Zelda take up so much time I barely even sleep! (:**

I stopped and laughed. As I heard my voice booming through the hall, I laughed harder. I laughed until my lungs protested and my abdomen burned. I saw Gumball eyeing me oddly from the floor, and I laughed again. Why had I worked myself up like an idiot? It felt as if a veil had lifted over my eyes, revealing something I had thought to be precious, but merely a satisfactory image I was fond of. I drifted down to the floor, ignoring the shocked and slightly appalled candy people, and locked eyes with Gumball. He looked like he was looking at a terminally ill child who might survive, although through heavy cost. I laughed at his expression, and he snapped his hands up to his hips, which made me giggle between my lips.

"Marshall Lee, would you kindly tell me what is so god damn funny?!" he said in a hushed whisper. I smirked, reclining back up above his head.

"I think I just had a revelation," I said jubilantly. He eyed me hard, and looked around at the people staring at the both of us. I could almost see his nervousness in the air, as he tugged my shirt and pulled me towards the stairs to his room, alleviating any questions his citizens threw at him. As he tugged me up the steps, my chest still desperately pumping air, and threw me into his too-bright bedroom, shutting curtains as we entered. He made sure the door clicked, then turned, his face twisted in a mixture of anger and curiosity; he looked so stupid.

"You look constipated," I cackled. He rolled his eyes, and leaned his weight evenly on his feet, waiting for me to explain. "Okay, okay, sorry, I just realized something!"

"I'm going to assume it has something to do with that guest list?" he groaned as he sat down on his lush pink bed.

"Sort of."

I sat on the roof of the Candy Kingdom's headquarters, the light breeze playing itself playfully upon my face, arms and hair. The sun, having just sunk below the horizon, still colored the sky in a pretty color that looked both bronze and pink; perfect for the Candy Kingdom. Have you ever felt so irreconcilably stupid, and then realize your faults, and be relieved of said stupidity? The resulting feeling freedom is amazing; that was exactly how I felt that evening.

Gumball had made it seem so simple to me; I loved Fionna as a friend, the same as he and nearly everyone else did. Everyone who crosses her path—not her sword, mind you—eventually feels the same way for the girl. It had happened too quick for me to realize it, which had resulted in my rash treatment of the Flame Prince. Therefore, Gumball suggested, to my chagrin, that I should go and "escort" him to the party, which would go one without a hitch of jealousy or angst by any soul. I declined at first, though; my revelation did not make me like the Fire people any more than before. However, Gumball, with his dumb "cute eyes" look, persuaded me otherwise.

Thus, I begrudgingly made my way across Aaa. It was quite pretty in the late dusk; the Cloud Kingdom was perpetually partying, so there was no point in inviting any of them. I saw a few people from the Grasslands passing far below, most notably Tree Trunks and Mrs. Pig. Further and further I travelled, passing the Ice Kingdom's frigidity, and rounding upon the molten world of the Fire Kingdom. I disliked that place; it was too hot, even though I was not bothered by the burning air.

The Fire Palace, located smack-dead in the center of the city, rose up like a volcano in an ocean of magma. I sauntered through, receiving a few dastardly grins and nods of approval, to which I ignored. Their ruler, Flame Queen, was evil, and therefore had befriended my own mother. This made me a sort of icon in the Fire Kingdom, which I detested deeply. The guards admitted me easily enough, and as I appeared in the foyer, I spotted Flame Prince high up in his glass lamp, his back turned, obviously not in the mood for guests. His mother, however, accepted me swiftly.

"Oh, Marshall Lee, why I haven't seen you in ages!" she cooed as she stood up and galloped over, pulling me tightly into a hug. While I do know the names of Aaa Royalty, I elected against using the Flame Queen's name against her. The certain individuals that call themselves by such are determined to remain royal status, and by doing away with their own names, rid their citizens of anything to call them should they ever loose power. Thus, the Flame Queen had been thus since birth, although once a princess, and her son was no different.

She was a large woman, reminiscent of a meteor, but kind deeper within. That is, however, if she had a liking for you. For people of any other ethnicity, and even most of her own citizens, she was a cold old woman with wild, fiery hair and wicked red eyes. She was the epitome of the perfect Fire elemental. Her court was surrounded by other Fire citizens, all clad in the oddly traditional dress that was still only in play in the highly aristocratic Fire Kingdom.

"Hello, dear Flame Queen!" I said, trying my hardest not to laugh. I smoothed out my face, glad that a thousand years had given me control over my features, and smiled pleasantly. She seated her large self on her stone throne and ginned. She eyes her son for a moment, but after I nodded my head, she mouthed the word "oh", and looked at her poofy red dress made out of some type of rock.

"Ah," I stammered. How to ask this? From what Flame Prince had said, his mother had not been too pleased with Fionna… _Aha!_ "Flame Queen, I am having a bit of a gathering of Aaa royalty tonight—don't worry, the _good_ kind—" I added with a wink, much to her pleasure, "and I was hoping your son would attend."

"That sounds wonderful," she said, trying to hold in her excitement. "My little Candlekins would _love_ to go! Oh, Marshall, I am so happy to know he has friends like you—"

"I'm not going." The voice came out of the lamp. Everyone's heads shot upwards as the Flame Prince stood, his fists clenched at his sides, his face twisted in anger. "I want nothing to do with _him_."

"Oh, now, now, didn't we discuss your little situation earlier? You are to be damned happy he brought you back here; he could have left you there in the Grasslands with that… _human_… and then, just imagine if—"

"You know what, I'll go just so I don't have to hear your crazyass talk all night!" he spat, pounding the lamp with his fist. The glass container fell to the ground, he stepped out, seemingly unaware of the immense noise he had just made. He motioned for me to grab his arm, to which I smirked and took hold of his collar, and tugged him up with me.

"I'll have him nice and late, don't you worry!" I winked. She giggled and waved, turning into a fierce monster as a little man tried to ask her for something. I chuckled as I tugged the searing prince higher above his kingdom, eventually coming over the Grasslands. I dropped him.

He screamed for a while, until, upon noticing that he was steadily falling to the ground, recovered and knelt to his knee as he landed, sending a large circle around him ablaze. He glared at me and spat a fiery curse at me; I hopped back, not wanting my purposefully informal clothes to be taken by the flames.

"Where are we going?" he demanded. I pointed to the Candy Kingdom, and he laughed aloud. "Ha! I know _you're _not even that evil!"

"I am here on business for the gum-wad Prince and a certain friend of us all." I said vaguely, biting my tongue. This would stand as a test of my sanity, to see if I had really fallen so low as to love a fragile, young human girl. He seemed to notice my discomfort, and for some reason, stopped talking. The trip to the Candy Kingdom was not nearly fast enough; the silence dragged on as I led the boy towards the heat-sensitive country, his boots burning his footsteps into the grass.

At last, we arrived. Not a soul was in a home or shop; every one was crowded into the Grand Hall. The sky was thoroughly dark now, which made the castle glow in a way that even I can't say wasn't beautiful. AS we approached, Gumball came rushing down in his usual attire—which was formal enough to pass for a party—and smirked half-heartedly.

"Okay, keep your temper down," he said coldly to the other Prince, who grimaced at the way Gumball didn't get too close to him. "She's in there,"

"Huh," he shrugged. "Pretty keen to have me here, is she then? After she insulted me, too." He spat as he headed for the doors. I almost stopped him, but saw Gumball beat me to it.

"Marshall and I have agreed that while you are a severe danger to my people, Fionna finds you charitable, and therefore would like to have you attend such an occasion. However—"

"If you screw this up," I interjected, forcing my cold hand onto Flame Prince's hat shoulder, much to his chagrin, "I will personally drop you into the ocean so far out you'll drown before you burn out; do you understand me?"

The moment seemed to stop as I stared into Flame Prince's brown eyes. He was such a child compared to me, and even to Gumball; with large eyes, childish Mohawk, and baby fat in his cheeks. However, he towered over us both, and was rather built; for a mortal, he seemed pretty strong. However, I had never seen him use this strength, even as I had hauled him through the air. Nevertheless, he agreed to behave, and started for the door. As it creaked open and bathed us in artificial light, we all stood in awe of the Guest of Honor, who stood in a stunning blue bustle-back dress, her long golden hair set free and elaborately piled on her head in a single odango. She turned to us, her eyes moving across our own faces; kind with Gumball's, excited for mine, but upon seeing Flame Prince beside us, she seemed both shocked, surprised, and anxious as she stepped forward, appearing ever so small against our large frames, bright blue eyes shining. The music picked up as if Gumball had anticipated such a dramatic entrance, an I immediately hovered towards the snack table, not wanting to dance with anyone, even Fionna. Gumball set off to speak to other nobility—he would surely ask me to do the same by the end of the night—and thus disappeared as well to the back of the hall.

This left Flame Prince and Fionna. It was the latter who seemed to speak first, undoubtedly asking him to dance, as he carefully took her hand. She had prepared for this, no doubt under Gumball's vague warning. She wore thin white gloves that sparkled with the distinct look of a jewel, and I snickered to myself as I held a strawberry up to my mouth: Gumball had invented some sort of diamond-imbued gloves that would protect her skin.

It was a scene out of a fairytale; a prince with a pauper, it was all accurate. They staggered awkwardly, neither having proper dance education, or so I thought, until Flame Prince took a proper lead, and the two regained a bit of dignity. The other couples dancing seemed to try their hardest to keep their eyes down; even I found it hard not to watch. The two were polar opposites—Fionna in deep blue and the other in striking reds and oranges—and made a particularly strong fashion statement as they waltzed. The appeared to be having a very interesting conversation… I shook my head as I had instinctively tried to listen in from afar. I bit my tongue, enjoying the taste of my blood as I turned away; even if I couldn't have the real thing, at least the similar taste would calm me.

When I turned again, Fionna had just tripped—damned Cake had most likely made her wear heels, the heroine's true nemesis—and was caught by her partner at the small of the back. The low cut dress revealed her skin, to which she yelped softly in pain, and he quickly yanked at her hands, pulling her up, and apologizing avidly. This had gone nearly unnoticed by the quests, but I had seen. I turned on my heel and stormed out through the back door, hoping no one would see me.

I sat on the railing of a balcony and sighed.

_She's a friend. That's why you got angry; you don't want your friends to be hurt_. I though desperately. I groaned and clawed at my arms, hoping extracting more pain would calm. It worked, but I was immediately pulled out of my forced-lulled state by a gasp and a series of halted footsteps that clacked gently on the stone floor. I turned, to my dismay, and saw Fionna standing there, her head cocked and her entirety beautiful in the moonlight.

_God damn it._


	5. Tables Being Turned

"Marshall, we need to talk." She said. I felt the hair on the back of my neck raise at the sound of her voice; the music inside had suddenly become so very quiet. She stared dead on at me with her large blue eyes, her face serious and a bit uncomfortable, like she was holding back sick.

"What about?" I retorted, sending myself up higher than her. At least hovering a foot or two above her would intimidate her, even if my voice cracked. She groaned and leaned against the railing. I saw her eye the dress she was wearing, and snickered silently; she was uncomfortable with her attire. That somehow made me happy.

"Well," she sighed. "Gumball put on this whole party, which I'm very thankful for, but its not—"

"You?" I cut in. She looked up, not very surprised that I had interrupted her, and nodded. "Didn't you two plan this party together?" I asked, unaware of anything else to say. She began to play with her wrists, which I noticed were abnormally thin. In fact, the more I looked at her, she looked thinner than usual, but not like she had lost weight. Her shoulders and abdomen, once the most muscular parts on her body along with her legs were now thinned down to shadows of their former selves, like she hadn't used them in years. I knew this was false, however, as I had bothered her along an adventure only…

How long ago was that? A week? Maybe two? I pondered for a moment, unable to come to a rational time frame. I seemed so recent, but then again, I hadn't noticed that Fionna had grown out a bit more, her body no longer to ascend vertically, and her hair, having always been long, was clumped up in a larger amount than usual to keep it off the floor. As I noticed these slight differences, the truth dawned on me. However, Fionna told me it before I could say it to myself.

"When you came in," she said, her voice chocked. "Me and Flame Prince… well… I lied to you."

"What do you mean?" I said, shocked. Maybe I didn't know the truth.

"We've seen each other for a while… but I was always on the other side of his window, or speaking from below his lamp. He claimed to have liked me, but it was just odd. So, I asked Gumball to, well… talk to Flame Queen, and see if he could come out of his lamp. That was when he was there, at the tree house. We were talking… and he got really angry. I guess I said something that insulted him… or Gumball had… _I just don't know_… and we got into an argument, he lost control, and the house started to burn. I was so shocked that he had changed so drastically, I shouted that I didn't know who he was anymore, and he…"

"Yeah?" I managed to choke off. She wiped her face inconspicuously, and continued.

"I don't know _what_ I was thinking," she moaned. "No; I just wasn't thinking. I saw you burst in, and I said such an odd thing… 'I didn't even know him'… why I said it? I guess I panicked, he had slapped me… it surprised me more than it hurt… but it hurt… and I was so _angry_ at him… I wanted you to…" she chocked physically this time, and silenced herself.

"Fionna, none of this makes any sense," I said, my voice sounding oddly cocky. She looked up at me, and I hovered down to her level so she wouldn't have to crane her neck. "You knew Flame Prince was unstable, didn't you?"

"Yes," she whispered. It felt like I was scolding her; I inwardly relished my regained control over her.

"You knew it would be incredibly dangerous to bring him to your _tree_ house," I said, slowly. She merely nodded her head this time and laced her fingers around themselves. "You knew that he was dangerous to you—"

"Marshall Lee, do you have any idea what I have been through in the last six months?" she asked, her voice cracking high up as she spoke. I eyed her carefully, examining her features carefully. Damn the moon; it made her eyes sparkle too much: I couldn't focus.

"No—"

"No, you don't," she cut off. She threw her hands to her face and backed against the wall, sliding down as the deep sadness she had undoubtedly been holding in poured forth, leaving her sallow and small on the floor, surrounded by her dress. She looked up at me, and I saw her eyes riddled with tears and irritated red; it made me sick to see her so sad. I floated over to her, rested beside her, and patted her head.

"Hey, it's okay—"

"It's _not_ okay," she snapped. "Cake… _damned Cake_… she thinks I'm getting too old to be adventuring… thinks she's old enough to be my new mom… to 'protect' me from the world…"

"What?" I asked, utterly lost. She turned to look at me, her face that of a pleading child.

"Gumball has thrown this party with Cake as a plan… a plan to clam me down and… 'domesticate' me." She held up air quotes. I was appalled by her words; she was the only person in the entire land of Aaa who was technically domesticated!

"Why would they do this?" I asked, my own voice hoarse.

"They think I take too many risks!" she cried. "They think they're protecting me by keeping me blissfully unaware of the world, even though I've been in this world my entire life, alone with Cake and left to my own devices, and I think I've done _okay_."

"Of course you have!" I said, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. She was warm in the cool night air, and I could physically feel myself falling back into the pit I had _just_ clawed out of… but frankly I didn't care. That Fionna would come to me to talk about all of this… I felt like I was in the Cloud Kingdom.

"I've been sent to see Flame Prince as a plan of Gumball's to make me find a… ugh I can't even say it… _spouse_… but he doesn't even like Flame Prince… I mean, yeah he's sweet when he keeps his temper down, but…" she trailed off and stared back at her hands.

I saw it then; the beautiful thing that only Fionna, a human, could do. Her creamy cheeks began to flood with a bright pink color, soon looking almost scarlet against her skin. The most delicious color sat there, untested on her face, and I sat mere inches away, fangs at the ready to assault that beautiful pigment. I tried frantically to control myself, but Fionna noticed me before I could do so. Instead of cringing, however, she smirked. It was odd; her eyes narrowed, sending her long lashes put against her azure irises, and her pink lips curled up into a half smile.

All in all, it was a pretty sexy expression.

"What are you thinking about?" I asked, more than a bit surprised. She swallowed slowly, and looked around. She pointed her finger up, her old signal for wanting to be lifted. I did so, and went until she held out a stopped hand. We were at a flat section of the castle's roof, about fifty feet wide and two hundred lengthwise. I plopped her down, and she seemed to be against standing, and sat on the roof, staring apparently lustily at me.

"Marshall, will you do something for me? Something that will make me happy?" she asked as she beckoned me closer. I could feel my chest pumping faster than it ought; was I nervous? Was I, the great Vampire King, the ruler of the dead and the creatures who occupy nightmares, scared of a little human girl, so fragile she could be broken by a simple flick of my finger?

I guess I was.

"What do you want me to do?" I asked, trying my hardest to keep my voice even. She looked straight into my eyes, the moon now directly overhead us, casting its bright glow down on us.

"Bite me."

I felt the world slip around, falling and shifting beneath me. Did she really just ask me to do such a thing to her? Had I heard her incorrectly? I knew I hadn't, but I wished I had. Fionna, my best bud from not too far back, was now the older girl in a stunning dress, and without her former strength practically powerless against me, as she had always been, nevertheless, asking for me to bite her. Was she looking for a thrill? Did she need to do something to abrupt and rash that it would scare some sense into the prissy little people a few hundred feel below us? I knew not what she wanted, or if I even wanted to give it to her.

"Please… I know it's a lot to ask… but Marshall…" she looked up—I hadn't noticed her eyes had strayed to her hands again—and her mouth curved into a weak cross between a grimace and a smile. She looked like she didn't even want to be there with me.

"Why?" I asked. She groaned and slumped, throwing her posture away. Upon this, she almost instantly sat back up, and locked eyes with me.

"Marshall Lee," she said, as if the words were a customary phrase to begin a more important sentence. "I like you."

"I know that, but—"

"So," she said, holding a warm finger to my lips. I felt my knees wobble as I sat there, my body bouncing with the exciting enticement of something far tastier than the pigment that had vacated her face in part; I detested how after a thousand years of life, I was still as uncontrollably eager as a teenager when matters of food were in place.

"I…" I wished I wasn't there myself; only twelve hours before, I had longed to be close to Fionna before, and to hold her fragrant skin close to myself, lost in the fragrance forever. I had once read a story about a couple who too had fallen too rashly in and out of love; their ending was not one that I remember being positive. However, upon feeling Fionna's soft hand against my cheek, I resigned my resolve.

"Thank you," she said wholeheartedly, realizing my surrender upon my face. She began to blush again, and I felt my throat dry up at the sight of her color… but I knew that I would not even touch the shade.

I took hold of her shoulders and pulled her into my lap, twisting her around as I did so; her tiny size was so convenient now. I could feel her heart beating, quite rapidly, and the alluring scent came off of her skin like perfume. I think she noticed this, how I was slightly more animal than she had thought, and I expected her to jump away from me, repulsed like any sane person would be. It must have been a first in the world order; a mortal had never simply offered themselves over as food for a vampire. I knew when to stop, however, unlike the very few others of my kind; I did not, after all, wish to kill my current prey.

As I drew closer to her neck and shoulder, I felt my own stomach flip in both nervousness and hunger. I wondered if she was scared I would hurt her, or even kill her… I snapped that thought away as quickly as it had come, not wanting to be distracted. If she thought this was going to be uncomfortable to me, she was quite wrong. Sure, I would have preferred… well, I'm not sure anything could have made that situation any less awkward or hard, even though I would ultimately be the only one to reap a reward.

I brushed my fangs against her skin, and she flinched; I chuckled softly at her shock, and whispered into her ear.

"You act so surprised…" She swallowed and gripped her fists around her dress, undoubtedly not wanting to be beaten by me again. I, wanting to draw out the moment for as long as possible—I was still hoping she would burst out running away—pulled my tongue at a spot just higher than before, and she shivered in what seemed like a mix of shock, fear, and maybe even enjoyment. I felt a fire burn up in my stomach at this last thought, and decided not to drag out the suspense any further.

I felt the warmth of it all of first. My fangs, deeply protruded into the conjunction point of her neck and shoulder, were surrounded by such warmth that I felt like I was going to simple melt away into it. I heard her chocked gasp, and felt the rush of joy that she had made such a sound due to me. I then tasted it, and was soon overcome by such sweetness. It was as if she was one of the candy people below… but far more tantalizing. I felt myself utter a low hiss as I sucked in as much as I could, and she tensed up in my arms, gripping the sleeves of my shirt as she did so.

I knew then that I needed to stop, and after a few more seconds of pleasure, I pulled out, leaving a trail of perfect crimson down my chin, and two identical wounds on her collar. She collapsed against me, taking in deep breaths and relaxing in a way I hadn't quite expected. After a moment or two, she turned and looked up at me, her eyes on the remnants of her blood running down from my mouth. She lifted a shaky finger and wiped it off, taking care not to flick it away, and held the finger to my lips. I took it, and allowed my tongue to take her final gift. After I finished, she smiled shakily, and laughed a weak laugh.

"Never thought that'd happen, now did you?" she asked. I laughed, shaking my head at her, and scooped her out of my lap and placed her beside me. She leaned against my arm, and a series of serious thoughts ran through my head… _What is she had anemia? Did I take too much? If Cake or Gumball find out_…

"Thank you," she said, her voice suddenly much stronger. I turned my attention back to her, and she cocked her head. "I don't know if it worked, but I think there's a strong possibility that it did."

"What worked?" I asked. My head was still reeling in response to her sweet blood, but she merely shook her head and laughed a much stronger laugh. "What's so funny?"

"I needed to do something risky," she smirked. She raised a finger to my nose and flicked it softly, making me bat my eyes a few extra timed. "I never knew that risky was so much fun."

After that, we went back down, and I delivered a wounded Fionna to Cake. Fionna, who had undoubtedly been prepared to take advantage of me, had brought a bandage and a completely well thought out excuse of cutting a corner too swiftly around the Hard Candy people, and nicked herself on her fall. I stayed far away from Gumball and the others the rest of the night, and kept a stern eye on the promiscuous Flame Prince, ready to act should he do something to Fionna again.

I left earlier than planned, and retired into my flat immediately upon coming home. I flopped onto my bed, not even wanting to float, and stared at my white popcorn ceiling. Did Fionna intentionally lie to me then, hoping I would react as I did? I had never thought her to be incredibly bright… perhaps I had underestimated her; she had planned out a perfect time to catch me off guard.

As I contemplated, I realized an awful possibility. Fionna, who had been latched onto Gumball for so long, I could not remember a time where the teen didn't hang off of him, had jumped to Flame Prince relatively soon, if my story and details were correct. Then, she moved on to me, in hopes of doing something reckless… but being one hundred feet from Flame Prince was reckless enough, so she could have been doing dangerous things with him. However, since Gumball and Cake were pushing her to find someone…

I felt like a moron. Of course Fionna was lying to me. Cake, who was indeed her elder sister, would never but something like guys over Fionna's happiness, even though the two seemed to have only guy friends. Gumball, busy with royal business, would not really care if Fionna was dating or not. He would care, however, if she was with Flame Prince, who even I know he hated as a bane to his people's existence. So, being with Flame Prince _was _reckless…?

I cursed aloud and rolled over to bury my face in my pillow. Why did Fionna do this to me? I thought that I would be the one without guilt after taking her life force; that I would be the strong one and have no conscious over the events during her birthday. Even though my entire world was flipped, and my views on Fionna had changed from friend, to love, to sustenance, to abuser, I knew still one thing that was the same as before; Flame Prince had feelings for her. Even though he expressed his hate, he did in fact the blonde girl. I sat there, confused beyond belief, and stared at my blue sheets for what felt like the first time.

If I was to solve this, I would need help.


	6. Righting Wrongs

The dark wooden door was unusually musty and daunting as I stood before it. The smoldering area around me did not bother my skin; I was quite used to being in very hot conditions. I did not knock, but as the door did not open at my touch, I groaned and let my fist rap the door three times. The hinges opened, and I sauntered in, my hands in my pockets. Inside was just as I remembered; dark purples and reds, old fashioned furniture and black doilies on every surface. It was sickeningly archaic, but my mother had never been one to keep up with the times.

"Marshall Lee," a slow, slimy voice drawled as the door shut behind me. I turned to see my mother, her thick hair falling like smoke around her, standing in a dark red dress with a black blazer, black pumps under her heels. She had a sleek smile on her face, and seemed happy to see me… if my mother could ever compute happiness. "How nice for my son to visit me."

"Mother," I spat. "I come here for advice from you, not as a son, but as a man, and you a woman… or whatever you are." She chuckled and slid over to her wing chair, motioning for me to sit and join her.

"Go ahead, tell Mrs. Aberdeer what is on the Vampire King's mind." She laughed. I straightened up on the sofa, and stared into her colorless, dead eyes. I went to open my mouth, but she merely laughed and waved her hands. "Oh, you foolish boy! What would possess you to feel anything but hunger for a mortal, especially a human! The last of their kind, I would expect you to treat it more like a meal than a person!"

"Mother, don't call her an 'it,'" I said firmly. "I simply want to know what to do as a _man_, not the Vampire King. I thought I had that very clear; Mother, I think you're beginning to show signs of age." I had said all of this without thinking. My mother's eyes suddenly lit up, bright yellow and red, and her smile turned into a malicious sort of grin. She laughed the same high pitched cackle that sent fear through mortal's veins, and caused the weak hearted to stop dead.

"My dear boy," she hissed. "You have no idea what you have done… to think that having a human close to you would be anywhere close to a good idea is foolhardy! I am actually offended; to think, my own son, a proper royal if there ever was one, to fall in love with a simplistic human girl… you are an idiot! Marshall Lee, do you not remember anything I ever taught you?!"

"Mother, I—"

"No," she interjected. "Marshall, I am serious. You remember the rules. I know you do, it is impossible for you to forget," she stood, her figure suddenly far more menacing. In all of my life, I don't think I had ever really been scared of my mother, a bit offset by her cruelty, but never really frightened. As she stood over me then, her eyes bright like the flames then engulfed her home, I felt my own blood run a bit faster, and swallowed down what spit I could manage.

"I remember," I said slowly. "The laws… I remember. I do not intend to break any of them, that's why I am here. If I can find a way to save this situation from exploding, no law will be broken, and no one will get hurt."

"You don't want her to get hurt, do you?" She asked, her eyes incredibly narrowed, they seemed to be mere slits in her head. "You know what that would cost you?"

"More than I can afford, I know," I groaned. "Mother, if I can just… _fix_ it, I can leave her be, everything will be set, and no one will get hurt."

For the first time in my life, I saw my mother look hurt. Her eyes returned to their normal oblique shape, although neither fiery or colorless, but rather the same brown that they had been in her first life, so incredibly human she didn't look like my mother anymore. Her mouth fell into a sad little frown, and her stance changed from menacing to hurt as she stood closer to me, patting my head of ruffled black hair.

"Marshall," she sighed, putting a hand on my shoulder. "I never expected you would…"

"I know, Mother," I said, putting my own hand over hers. "Neither did I."

"If you must do this," she sighed. I blinked, and when I saw that my mother had vanished, I instantly looked down at the ground where she had stood, the small black stone waiting right where I knew it would be. I scooped it up, slipping it into my pocket, and headed out of the door, and back to the portal back to Aaa from the Nightosphere.

I stood outside of Gumball's meeting room, reclined against the wall as I waited for the annoying Court of Nuts to leave. It had been a day since my encounter with my mother, and the cold black stone was still in my pocket, awaiting its use. I checked the clock on the far side of the hall; Fionna was to be there at one o'clock, followed by Flame Prince as one thirty, both to meet with Gumball about some mission against Ice Queen. This information I had gratefully been given by the very prince who was within the room, chatting up with the Duchess of Nuts about how peanuts should be excluded from their kingdom. I agreed secretly with her; peanuts weren't nuts anyway.

At nearly twelve forty five, the Nut Court finally came out, and I stood beside the door, invisible to avoid a confrontation with the busty duchess, and slipped in as soon as they had disappeared. Gumball sat, seemingly exhausted, and ran a hand through his fluffy pink hair. I became visible again, and he jumped a bit by my sudden appearance.

"Marshall, why did you need to meet with all of us?" he asked. "Its very unlike you to want to plan something... or do you have a confession?"

"More like a simple surprise," I said, averting my eyes from the squishy prince. The clock ticked away far too slowly, however, Fionna and her flamed companion arrives on time, and were seated by Gumball as well, seemingly just as surprised as he.

"Marshall Lee, what are we all in here for?" Fionna asked, cocking her head to the clock. I knew that I was cutting into the adventurer's precious monster-beating time, but given the task on my hands, I knew she would soon be outside, slaying a dragon or saving a prince.

"I'm sorry," I said. They all looked at me carefully, waiting for me to do something as I spoke. "I have... broken a very strict law of the Demon World, which you all know I am the heir of."

"What law?" Gumball asked, his face contorted in worry; no doubt he was thinking of the punishment I might have to endure for breaking the rules.

"The law at the forefront of Demon-Mortal interactions... I am to never, ever use someone as sustenance, so long as i intend to keep them alive. I have shattered that law, as I do not wish to kill the person whose blood I drank."

I looked over at Fionna, and was a little pleased with her reaction. Her expression had melted from overall pleasure to absolute horror, and i saw beads of sweat make their way down her temple. She clenched her fists, and stared down at Gumball's candy table. Flame Prince wasn't taking too close of notice at anything, but he stared at me through narrowed eyes; he was indeed angry with me. I did not particularly care, since he loved that stupid blonde that sat before us all, staring down at her sin, wondering what punishment she would get.

"Marshall, this is crazy... what is going to happen to you?" he asked quickly. I laughed and looked at the sticky prince, sending him the best devilish smile i could muster behind the awful feelings I felt brewing just a bit lower than my stomach.

"Nothing," I saw Gumball relax at this. "However, something will happen to someone."

Flame Prince stood up so fast, I was actually surprised. He stood at a menacing angle, partially blocking Fionna from my view, who was just as surprised as I was. His eyes weren't placid like before; they were hostile and bright, mimicking the fire that made up his entire being.

"Marshall," he said slowly. "You will not touch her."

"I didn't say something was going to happen to her," I said in my defense. He stood like a statue, heat coming off of him in hot waves, and upon seeing Gumball squirm a bit under the intense heat, I sighed. "Something will happen to everyone, but me. This that I am about to use will erase me. Not a single one of you will ever remember who I was or that I even existed. I will become less than a shadow; nonexistent."

"No!" Fionna hopped up and tried to rush forward, but Flame Prince through out an arm to catch her. It didn't burn her skin; I guess Gumball had finally fixed his matrix, and he was no longer unstable. That was nice of him. "Gumball, stop him!"

"No one can," I said. I could feel that the smile I had begun to play had melted into an odd moronic smirk, so i discarded it in favor for a plain grimace. I looked across the room, and took in the sweet surroundings one last time. A tear fell down Fionna's cheek and hit the sugary floor, where it began to sweeten and turn into some time of syrup. Gumball held his head in his hand in grief, still sitting in his seat. Flame Prince was still working to keep Fionna away from me, his incredible protectiveness working excellently against her fierce struggle.

I took the stone out of my pocket and sighed. The very same one had apparently been used against me before, as my mother had told me, as an attempt to remove my father's memory from me. It had worked, as I had forgotten everything about that man afterwards, never again to come into my mind. Even when I looked at pictures of him, it was an unfamiliar face, holding a familiar child and woman. I clenched it tightly, remembering what I knew of its use, and hoped that it would reach far enough.

I took it to my lips, and whispered onto its icy cold surface: Everyone. It began to glow an otherworldly glow, and trembled in my palm. They all stared at me closely, and I sent them one last smirk before I raised my hand, the stone clenched tight.

"Fionna," I said. The teary girl sniffed and looked up, wiping her irritated eyes. "If we ever see each other again... let's hang out, okay?"

"Marshall..." she muttered. I sighed, feeling the awful feeling in my gut expand, and tightened my grip on the stone. I held it before me, out in my hand, and watched intently. It was dead silent for a few moments, before the deafening crack resonated out of the room and out through the kingdom. After another slight moment of silence, the stone completely shattered, sending shrapnel out everywhere, and stunning the people before me. They stood, their eyes all pupil-less and hazed over, apparently unconscious. I felt my own body begin to tremble, and fell to my knees as I completely broke, shattering into nonexistence.

Royalty. Royalty always get what they want. They have servants, maids, slaves... all types of help. They are spoiled rotten, far too much to be able to salvage themselves. Even those who start out pure are eventually tainted by the awful curse of royal blood, sacrificed for the awful reality of their sins, burning them from within until their soulless creatures, mindlessly ruling over the virtuous people they dare call commoners.

I had heard that Fionna and Flame Prince had been married, and that she had quickly taken over as queen of the Fire Kingdom. No sooner than four years after, however, their regime was taken over completely, and another family took on the responsibility of the kingdom. Apparently, Fionna and her husband had neglected the people in favor of a glamourous life...

I heard only good things about Cake, who had had children with Lord Monochromicorn, and lived peacefully on the border of the Grasslands and the Candy Kingdom. Gumball was apparently doing good, still unmarried, as I believed he would be his entire life, but now with a little one by his side, as the need for an heir caused him to adopt-not create, but adopt-a citizen who looked quite like him, a small little candy girl with flouncy hair and bright eyes. all of this good news was good, although I wished that Fionna hadn't fallen so low.

It was not a pleasant day when I saw her walk into the Nightosphere, as she had done before, although his time in the tattered clothes that one was placed in that mirrored their soul. She was thrashed and looked rather old. even though she had to be no older than twenty five. Flame Prince was not with her; he had been sent to one of the other realms of death, probably the afterlife, where he would eventually be able to recall his death and ascend to the heavenly world where good souls resided.

His wife however was there in the hellish yard that I called home, the evil place for demons and awful creatures too gruesome to even go to Death's realm. I sat beside my mother, who sorted through them, and watched her as she slowly made her way before us, kneeling down under our large figures, her dirty hair mere wisps now. She looked up at us, her eyes burdened with bags, and waited for her eternal torture.

"Fionna the Human," my mother boomed. "For your crimes against the people who called you Queen, you should be sent to the Flames of the Nightosphere to burn for the rest of time. However, your dear husband has a different fate as you, and he wished for nothing more than to live with you forever. So, you will go to him." Fionna's face lit up at the thought of leaving this place; she took no notice of me. "However!" my mother exclaimed, sending Fionna's elation far away from her. "Every time he sleeps, you will be brought back here, and endure your torture until he wakes, where you may go back to him. He can never know that you do this, for he believed you to be in the same Realm of Death as he, which you are plainly not."

"Thank you..." she said quietly. My mother smirked, and looked over at me.

"Do you want to say something to her?" she asked. I looked back down at the pathetic human who was being taken to the portal to the peaceful Realms of Death, her tattered appearance forcing her to take care as she walked.

"No..." I sighed as I turned back to our next client. "She already knows what I want to say to her."


End file.
